Rexford E. “Doc” Hardin

Rexford E. “Doc” Hardin, of Sarasota, Fla., died on Monday, June 20, 2011.

He was born in St. Marys.

He married Elizabeth (Betty) Hardin in 1949, and she survives him.

He is also survived by his three children, Lisa Grabeman, Julie Lawson and Stephen; two sons-in-law, Tom Grabeman and Brian Lawson; a daughter-in-law, Joann; five grandchildren, Kevin Rexford Grabeman, Leslie Grabeman, Jacob Rexford Hardin, Alec Hardin and Alyssa Hardin.

After graduating from St. Marys Memorial High School, he joined the Army Air Corps where he served as a navigator bombardier during World War II.

He attended Wittenburg University and went on to Case Western Reserve University, where he received his degree in dental surgery.

Rex then went back into the Air Force during the Korean War to serve as a dentist on the island of Okinawa.

Following his discharge, he and his wife moved to Toledo, where he practiced dentistry for more than 35 years.

He was elected president of the Toledo Dental Society in 1969 and president of the Ohio Dental Association in 1977.

He received numerous professional awards including the Pierre Fauchard Medal, awarded for outstanding contribution to the art and science of dentistry. After a successful career in dentistry “Doc” founded IPI in 1985, where he remained CEO until the time of his death.

Though his professional accomplishments were many, his true passion was community service. In 1962, he founded the American Cancer Society Golf Benefit and served as golf coordinator for the Ohio American Cancer Society Golf Program, which raised more than $15 million in the fight against cancer. He initiated the Lucas County Early Detection of Oral Cancer Program in 1964, which was the first program of its kind in the United States. He started the Men Against Prostate Cancer charity to raise money for prostate cancer research. He received the Burt Silverman Memorial Award, St. George Medal and the Ernest N. Bach Award for is contribution to his community and his profession.

Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Toale Brothers Funeral Home, 40 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota, Fla. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 7900 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, Fla. A memorial mass and Celebration of Life will be at 10 a.m. on July 16 at St. Joseph Church in Sylvania.

In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to Men Against Prostate Cancer, 4432 Chase Oaks Drive, Sarasota, Fla., or St. Patrick’s Church, Sarasota, Fla.